2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved.

Building Critical Skills

First Canadian Edition
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Kitty O. Locker
Kitty O. Locker
Stephen
Stephen
Kyo Kaczmarek
Kyo Kaczmarek
Kathryn Braun
Kathryn Braun
2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved.
odule 1
odule 1
Reflect on your own current communications skills.
Reflect on your own current communications skills.
Establish realistic goals for building on those skills.
Establish realistic goals for building on those skills.
Analyze the purpose, audience, context, and form of your
Analyze the purpose, audience, context, and form of your
messages.
messages.
Identify and analyze communication situations.
Identify and analyze communication situations.
Introduction to Business Communication
Skills to
Skills to
2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved.
odule 1
odule 1
Introduction to Business Communication
What is business communication?
What is business communication?
Will I really have to write?
Will I really have to write?
What is an effective message?
What is an effective message?
How do I begin to analyze communications situations?
How do I begin to analyze communications situations?
Topics
Topics
2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved.
Myths About Workplace Writing
Myths About Workplace Writing

Secretaries will do all my writing.

Secretaries will do all my writing.

I
I

ll use form letters or templates

ll use form letters or templates
when I need to write.
when I need to write.

I
I

m being hired as an accountant,

m being hired as an accountant,
not a writer.
not a writer.

I
I

ll just pick up the phone.

ll just pick up the phone.
2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved.
How can you add to your skills?

Employability Skills 2000+ (The Conference
Employability Skills 2000+ (The Conference
Board of Canada) lists these communication
Board of Canada) lists these communication
skills:
skills:

Read and understand information in a variety of forms (words,
Read and understand information in a variety of forms (words,
graphs, charts, diagrams).
graphs, charts, diagrams).

Write and speak so others pay attention and understand.
Write and speak so others pay attention and understand.

Listen and ask questions to appreciate other points of view.
Listen and ask questions to appreciate other points of view.

Share information using a range of technologies.
Share information using a range of technologies.

Use relevant field
Use relevant field
-
-
specific knowledge to explain ideas.
specific knowledge to explain ideas.
2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved.
Basic Purposes
Basic Purposes
All workplace writing has at least
All workplace writing has at least
three basic purposes:
three basic purposes:

To inform.
To inform.

To request or to persuade.
To request or to persuade.

To build goodwill.
To build goodwill.
2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved.
Business and School Writing
Business and School Writing
Differ based on
Differ based on

Purpose.
Purpose.

Audience.
Audience.

Information.
Information.

Organization.
Organization.

Style.
Style.

Layout.
Layout.

Visuals.
Visuals.
2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved.
Internal and External Audiences
Internal and External Audiences

Internal
Internal

Subordinates
Subordinates

Supervisors
Supervisors

Peers
Peers

External
External

Customers/Stockholders
Customers/Stockholders

Unions/Government Agencies
Unions/Government Agencies

Press/General Public
Press/General Public
2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved.
Good Business Writing
Good Business Writing

Is clear.
Is clear.

Is concise.
Is concise.

Is comprehensive.
Is comprehensive.

Is complete.
Is complete.

Is correct.
Is correct.
2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved.
PAIBOC
PAIBOC
P
P
What are your
What are your
purposes
purposes
in writing?
in writing?
A
A
Who is (are) your
Who is (are) your
audiences
audiences
?
?
I
I
What
What
information
information
must your message
must your message
include?
include?
B
B
What reasons or reader
What reasons or reader
benefits
benefits
can you use
can you use
to support your position?
to support your position?
O
O
What
What
objections
objections
can you expect your
can you expect your
reader(s) to have?
reader(s) to have?
C
C
How will the
How will the
context
context
affect reader response?
affect reader response?